Valve-gear for oscillating engines



(No Model.)

J. RARIGK, J1-.,' & J. L. WALKER. VALVE GEAR FOR OSGILLATING'ENGINBS.

No. 557,228. Patented Mar. 31, 1896.

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W/TNEES: u vE/v 05s A TTOHNEX.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN RARIGK, JR, AND JAMES LEE \VALKER, OF NEW BRIGHTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

VALVE-GEAR FOR OSCILLATING ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 557,228, dated March31, 1896.

Application filed June 26,1895. Serial No. 554,090. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN RARICK,J1., and

JAMES LEE WALKER, citizens of the United line 00 00, Fig. 1, the pivotaljoint provided totake up the wear or slack of the links and secureevenness of motion and accuracy in the operation of the link-and-leversystem; and Fig. 3 is an elevation of a modification of thelink-and-lever system of reversing-gear.

Like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur.

Our invention relates to the construction of reversing-gear foroscillating engines, and is especially adapted for that class employingslide-valves, which valves receive their motion directly from thecylinder.

It has for its object a simplification of the reversing-gear, a decreasein the friction and wear of the mechanism, and the reduction or removalof strain from the valve rod and valve.

To this end the main feature of our invention embraces thecombination,with an oscillating engine and its valve, of a floating orlink suspended or supported valve-lever or bar and means for shiftingthe points of support of said floating lever, whereby the pivotalconnections between the Valve-lever and ated thereby; D, the bed-plate,and E the frame, in which the cylinder is journaled.

The frame E will be extended above or beyond the cylinder sufficientlyfar to alford a suitable support or point of attachment for thereversing-gear hereinafter described, which gear is preferably locatedat the opposite end of the cylinder from the piston and crank 0, thusrendering it easier to clean, pack, and oil the parts, and, if desired,said extension of the frame E may be made available to surround theengine by a suitable jacket in any of the well-known ways.

1 indicates a bar or floating lever, to the center of which thevalve-rod P is pivotally connected, as at 2, and said bar or floatinglever 1 is movably supported (or suspended, as the case may be) by links3 3 pivotally connected therewith on opposite sides of its connectionwith the valve-rod, as at 3 3. The swinging links 3 3 are in turn and bytheir opposite ends pivotally connected with and supported from levers 44, as at 3 3 and the levers 4 4are journaled by their opposite ends onstuds 4 4 or other suitable fixed points on the frame E and connectedbya cross-rod 5, so that the levers 4 4 shall move in unison and thuscarry the movable pivots or fulcra 3 3 equal distances to or from theplane of the trunnions and crank-shaft and the pivotal connection 2between floating lever l and valve-stem P to one or the other side ofsaid plane, as the case may be. The pivotal connections or jointsbetween the levers 4 and links 3, or between the links 3 and floatinglever l, are preferably of the character shown in detail in Fig. 2--thatis to say, a suitable threaded bolt 6 is provided with a conical head,as at 6, and with a coniform nut 7, so that the bolt and nut 7 afford aa means of obtaining a fixed connection with one of the parts (orlevers) and the conical head 6 and coniform nut 7 form an adjustablecone-bearing for the moving part (link) adapted to take up wear andslack and secure an even and easy movement of the parts one on theother.

The reversing-lever is preferably obtained by extending one of thelevers 4 beyond the pivot 4, as at 4, (see Fig. 1,) and providing theusual rack L and spring-dog Z; but if preferred a separatereversing-lever R may be employed pivoted on the frame (see Fig. 3) at apoint intermediate of the levers 4 Al and connected therewith by aplurality of conneeting-rods 5, so as to move said levers at 4 equallyand in unison, as hereinbefore specified.

The construction being of the general character hereinbefore specified,the reversinggear will operate as follows: \Vhen the reversing-lever 4"or R" is moved to bring the levers at -l substantially parallel or thepivot points 3" 3 each the same distance from the plane of thecylinder-trunnions and crankshaft, the pivotal point 2 of connectionbetween the floating lever 1 and the valve-rod P will be in the plane ofthe cylinder and trunnions and the motion of the valve will be solimited that the ports will not uncover and no movement of the enginewill occur. \Vhen, however, the reversing-lever is moved so as to carrythe pivot-points (fulcra) .5 3 the one to and the other from the saidplane, the point of connection 2 between floating lever 1 and valve-rodP will be correspondingly moved to one or other side of the said planeand the engine will move in one or other direction, as the case may be.

I-Iavingthus described the nature, construction, and operation of ourimproved reversing-gear, what we claim, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is

1. The combination with an oscillating engine and its valve, of afloating lever or bar with which the valve-rod is connected, and meansfor changing the fulcra or points of support of said floating lever,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The combination with an oscillating engine and its valve, of asuspended or supported bar with which said valve is connected, links forsuspending or supporting said bar, and means for changing the points oflinksupport, substantiallyas and for the purposes specified.

3. The combination with an oscillating engine and its valve, of afloating bar with which said valve is connected, link supports orsuspensions i'or said floating bar, and levers on which said links arepivoted said levers havin g fixed pivots or points of support,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

at. The combination with an oscillating engine and its valve, of afloating lever or bar with which said valve is connected, linksuspensions or supports for said floating bar, lever-supports for saidlinks said levers having fixed fulera, and a reversinglever foractuating said leversupports, substantially as and for the purposesspecified.

5. The combination with an oscillating engine and its valve, of afloating lever or bar, with which the valve is connected, linksuspensions or supports for said bar, lever-supports for said links bothof said levers having fixed f ulcra and one of said levers extendedbeyond said fulcra to constitute a reversinglever, and means forconnecting said leversupports to cause them to move in unison,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

6. In a valve-gear mechanism, the combination of a floating bar to whichthe valverod is attached, swinging links for the support of saidfloating bar, levers for the support of said swinging links said levershaving fixed pivotsor fulcraand adjustable conebearings for the swinginglinks; substantially as and for the purposes specified.

7. In a reversing valve-gear mechanism ,the combination of a floatingvalve-lever,link suspensions or supports therefor, and lever-supportsfor the links said lever-supports having fixed fulcra; substantially asand for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures, in presence of twowitnesses, this 19th day of June, 1895.

JOHN RARIOK, JR.

JAMES LEE \VALKER. \Vitnesses:

J. F. DUNLAP, O. A. TIEoHE.

